Intervention
by Krustybunny
Summary: Henry watches as Emma goes from happy to guarded with the new crisis. And he's done with it. A one-shot that wouldn't let me sleep till I let it out. Also my take on what Emma's issues are that hold her back from Killian.


Henry pretends to be oblivious to Killian's hand in his mom's hair, and not notice the smiles they share. He pretends to not see the pirate's hand on his mom's lower back as they walk down the street. Nor does he let on that he can hear his mom giggle -actually giggle- at something Killian said. But he did notice that when things get scary in the streets of Storybrooke... again... and Killian was trying to keep her safe, his mom backed away.

Henry noticed his mom closing up more and more. She stopped smiling as often with Killian, or without. She began avoiding him. But when Elsa lost control and knocked Emma down by accident -Killian was reaching out to help her up- and Henry watched as his mom refused help and walked off.

_Nope. _Henry had had enough.

* * *

He waited for his mom inside the room they still rented from Granny. They still hadn't settled on an apartment, and his grandparents place was crowded now. She came in late. He could see the strain of the day written all over her face. She was tired. He almost decided to postpone his talk when he heard the door across the way close a little harder than normal, and his mom's wince in response. They had argued. Or she had been stubborn again. In any case, Henry's resolve grew. Tired or not, this was getting dealt with.

"Mom? Can I ask you something?" Perched on the bed, he put on his most eager face. The one he knew she had the hardest time saying no to.

"Now? Can it wait for morning kid? It's been a really long day."

"It's about our cursed year."

Emma's face fell. And he knew he had her. She hated lying to him, and having to lie to him nearly their entire time back in Storybrooke was a button he could push for years. If he paced it properly.

"Alright..." She dropped onto the bed with him. "What do you want to know?"

"What you told me about dad, was that true or the curse?" Something he was actually curious about, but it worked to his advantage now.

"It was truth, but that doesn't take away from what he ended up doing for us. Your dad loved you."

"I know. But is that why you lied about him the first time? When you told me he was a fireman? Because he had done all that bad stuff?"

"A little. Some of it was for me. I still didn't know how to deal with it."

"Was there ever anyone else you loved?"

"A few... where are you going with this?" Emma had her "mom" face on. Looking and ready for her teenage son to admit to something he did wrong.

"Just trying to figure out my memories. What was curse and what really happened. Like Graham. You loved him right?"

Emma's eyes grew wide and tinged red. Memories of Graham still stinging her heart. "We didn't have enough time to call it love Henry. But I liked him. First person in a long time to look at me like I mattered."

"So you cared about each other?"

"Yeah. I like to think so."

Henry had a point to all this, but hearing his mom be open like this, he wished Killian was on the other side of the door. Its things the pirate should hear too. But beggars and choosers and however that phrase went.

"And Walsh? You loved him right?"

"Yeah... about Walsh... I didn't get to tell you."

"What? Was he married already or something?" Henry heard his mom laugh one of her "fate's a bitch" laugh.

"No,_ he_ wasn't married." Oh that tone was a question for later. "No it turns out he was one of Zelena's monkeys. He was sent to us to keep me away from Storybrooke. When Killian showed up and I broke up with Walsh to keep him safe. Walsh turned into a flying monkey and I knocked him off the side of our building."

"So... that was all a lie?"

"On his part yeah. I loved him, but he was just another bad guy."

"This explains a lot."

"Explains what kid? You going to tell me what you're leading up to? Or are we going to continue to exploit my promise to not lie to you some more?" She arched her eyebrow at him. And here Henry thought he was being sneaky.

"It explains why you're pushing Killian away."

"I'm... I'm not pushing him away. There's nothing to push away. He's just a friend."

"Yeah right mom. A 'special friend'. I get it. Look, dad messed you up. Graham died as you were opening up, and Walsh was a douche-canoe that made you believe that you wouldn't ever get a break. And I'm going to guess there were a few more between Dad and when I found you in Boston right?" His mom only stared at him. Eyes wide and mouth open. He pushed on before she could speak. "You have no reason to think that a pirate would be any better than any of the worst parts of those guys, and every reason to worry that someone who has done so much for us would be taken away, like the best parts of those guys."

"Henry-"

"Just, let me finish mom. I've seen you two together. Since he came to New York for you. He makes you smile mom. He's changed so much because he loves you. Yes, he loves you. He babysat me. When have you ever heard of a pirate babysitting for a girl he just wants to get into bed?"

"Henry!"

"Please mom, I'm 13 and I lived in New York. But think about it. He's a pirate and there was fighting and what not to do. And he offered to watch out for me. And yeah, he's going to mess up. He's a) from another realm with different ideas on dating, b) really old with even stranger ideas than grandma and grandpa probably, and c) a guy. Guys mess up all the time, and he has more working against him than others. I'm not telling you to give him a chance because he's trying so hard. But any guy who makes you smile like you have been the last week deserves a shot. You deserve to be happy mom, and Killian has been making you happy."

Mother and son stared at each other. Four heartbeats, Henry counted them. Finally his mom sighed. She smiled and shook her head.

"I tell you what kid. I'll think about it, but only because you want me to. No promises though."

"Works for me." A smile broke Henry's face. He'd get his mom to a happy ending kicking and screaming. But her going willingly worked too.

"Just one other thing mom."

"Oh really? There's more?"

"Yeah. If you do start dating him, could you maybe get him new clothes? He could use something less weird."

"Oi!" Both heads turned to the door. Apparently the pirate was listening.

_Good. Less work for me._

Emma sighed. "We'll see on that. You know how much he loves that leather. Think it makes him looks scary."

"OI!" Emma giggles at the annoyance she was sparking from the other side of the door. Henry just smiled at the sound. He loved hearing his mom laugh.

"I guess I have to go see how much he heard. Get to sleep kid." She brushed a kiss to his forehead. "Love you."

"Love you too mom."

Now if helping his other mom was just as easy... but that could wait till morning.


End file.
